Rohan Oza
{{Short description|Zambian-American businessman (born 1971)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Rohan Oza
| image =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|10|2}}
| birth_place = Livingstone, Zambia
| alma_mater = University of Nottingham
University of Michigan
| occupation = Former Chief Marketing Officer of Still Brands at The Coca-Cola Company
Founder at Idea Merchants Capital
Investor
}}
Rohan Oza (born October 2, 1971) is an American businessman and investor. He is known for his work with several major consumer brands, including Vita Coco, Bai Brands, and Vitaminwater. Oza appeared as a recurring guest on the reality TV show Shark Tank.{{cite web | title=People | website=CAVU Consumer Partners | url=https://www.cavuventures.com/people/ | access-date=October 8, 2024}}
Early life
Oza was born in Zambia in an ethnic-Gujarati family.{{Cite web|last=White|first=Ronald D.|date=September 13, 2015|title=How I Made It: Entrepreneur Rohan Oza focuses on 'better for you' products|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-himi-oza-20150913-story.html|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=August 18, 2020|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US}} He studied at Harrow School.{{Cite news|last=Brinded|first=Lianna|date=November 6, 2015|title=Meet the millionaire 'brand messiah' who went from working in a factory to having 50 Cent and Rihanna on speed dial|language=en|work=Business Insider|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/meet-the-millionaire-marketer-rohan-oza-behind-vitamin-water-and-vita-coco-2015-11|access-date=December 30, 2017}}
Oza went on to study manufacturing and industrial engineering at Nottingham University. He pivoted to marketing and corporate strategy while at the University of Michigan, where he received his MBA.
Career
Oza began his career in the town of Slough as the manufacturing manager behind Mars' M&M's.
Oza got his start in marketing by advertising Snickers for Mars, Incorporated in Europe. He later was hired as a marketing manager for The Coca-Cola Company.
He has been credited for revitalizing the Sprite brand by signing Kobe Bryant as a spokesperson. Oza also worked with Andy Roddick, Michael Vick, Tom Brady, LeBron James, Jennifer Aniston, Gal Gadot, 50 Cent, Ne-Yo, Rihanna and Madonna as celebrity endorsements.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/06/fashion/rohan-oza-justin-timberlake-bai-soda-alternatives-marketing-celebrity-endorsements.html|title=He'd Like to Buy the World Something Other Than a Coke|work=The New York Times|date=January 6, 2017 |access-date=April 10, 2021 |last1=Benner |first1=Katie }}
He left Coca-Cola in 2002 to join Glacéau, most famous for their Vitaminwater brand. In 2007, Coca-Cola purchased Glacéau in an acquisition for $4.2 billion, expanding the company's non-carbonated portfolio.{{Cite news|last1=Sorkin|first1=Andrew Ross|last2=Martin|first2=Andrew|date=May 26, 2007|title=Coca-Cola Agrees to Buy Vitaminwater|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/26/business/26drink-web.html|access-date=December 30, 2017|issn=0362-4331}} Rohan was appointed Chief Marketing Officer of Coke's still brands, where he stayed until 2009.
As an investor, Oza made an early bet alongside Justin Timberlake on Bai Brands and helped persuade the Dr Pepper Snapple Group to buy the company for $1.7 billion. Additionally, he has backed Smartwater, Bulletproof Coffee and Health-Ade Kombucha.{{cite web|url=https://fortune.com/2016/03/24/kombucha-maker-health-ade-raises-7-million/|title=Kombucha Maker Health-Ade Raises $7 Million|work=Fortune|access-date=April 10, 2021}}
Oza has also been a recurring guest “shark” for ABC’s Shark Tank. On Shark Tank, Oza invested $400,000 in what was then known as Mother Beverage, later rebranded Poppi soda, for a 25% equity investment. On March 17, 2025, PepsiCo announced acquisition of Poppi, a prebiotic soda brand created in Austin, TX for $1.95 billion.{{Cite web |title=PepsiCo to Acquire poppi |url=https://www.pepsico.com/our-stories/press-release/pepsico-to-acquire-poppi03172025 |access-date=March 17, 2025 |website=Pepsico (press release) |language=en}}
He serves as an advisor to Impact Network, a non-profit organization bringing quality education to rural Zambians.{{cite press release |title=Rohan Oza Joins Impact Network as Special Advisor |date=November 28, 2018 |url=https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2018/11/28/1658283/0/en/Rohan-Oza-Joins-Impact-Network-as-Special-Advisor.html}}
References
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Category:People educated at Harrow School
Category:Ross School of Business alumni
Category:People from Livingstone, Zambia
Category:Alumni of the University of Nottingham
Category:Zimbabwean emigrants to the United States